Author: Chronicle Editor

By Akin Kuponiyi The trial of two former ministers, Nenadi Esther Usman (Finance) and Femi Fani-Kayode (Aviation) and one Danjuma Yusuf before a Federal High Court, in Lagos Southwest Nigeria Monday, failed to continue, due to the absence of Fani-kayode, the second accused in the alleged N4. 9 billion money laundering charge. The accused and a limited liability company, Joint Trust Dimension Nigeria Limited, were arraigned before Justice Muslim Hassan by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on a 17-count charge of unlawful retention, unlawful use and unlawful payment of money to the tune of about N4.9 billion. At…

Former England and Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard has said he is leaving MLS side New York City. The 38-year-old, whose contract expires at the end of the year, wrote on Instagram that his time at the club had “come to an end”. He said he will reveal “the next stage” of his career “very soon”. Lampard scored 15 goals in 31 appearances for New York, in a two-year spell that was interrupted by a loan spell at Manchester City. New York City were beaten 7-0 on aggregate by Toronto FC in the MLS play-offs this month. In an interview with…

Reuben Abati I do not share the view of those who assume that by some kind of miracle, in the shape of electoral-college defections, Hillary Clinton would still, on the strength of winning the popular vote, supplant Donald Trump as US 2016 President-elect. We might as well begin to live with the reality of a Trump Presidency, sad and traumatic as that outcome may be. And coming to terms with that, despite our disappointment, calls for a forward-looking approach on the part of the Nigerian government. The United States remains Nigeria’s most strategic partner. More than one million Nigerians live…

The title of this piece conveys a strident mood. But the angst is no longer because a bozo of catholic proportion emerged as the US president-elect. It is not because of the reality that a labile character is set to become the leader of the free world. It has nothing to do with the fact that a worldwide outrage greeted Donald Trump’s triumph. And this is absolutely far from the whistling implication of the thought that the best-qualified person ever to seek US presidency was trounced by a definite nothing burger. The seemingly venom is by no means induced by…

A number of Nigerian Shia Muslims on a religious procession have been shot during clashes with police in the northern city of Kano, reports say. At least 10 pilgrims have been killed, the AFP news agency reported. Earlier a Shia group said one of its followers had been killed. A journalist travelling with the procession told the BBC that many marchers had been shot. Police confirmed that an incident took place but have not provided details. But an unnamed police officer told AFP that officers had opened fire after they were met with violence from pilgrims. Officers have blocked the…

The world is set to have a new heat record in 2016 after a sizzling 2015 as global warming stokes more floods and rising sea levels, the United Nations weather agency said on Monday at climate change talks overshadowed by Donald Trump’s election win.President-elect Trump has called climate change a hoax and a source in his transition team says he is seeking quick ways to pull the United States out of the 2015 Paris Agreement, which aims to shift the world economy away from fossil fuels towards renewable energy. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said this year would be the…

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on Monday said it would sanction 13 telecommunications operators for failing to comply with the ‘2442 Do Not Disturb (DND)’ directive on unsolicited telemarketing. According to a statement signed by the NCC’s Director of Public Affairs, Mr Tony Ojobo, the directive was issued on April 20, 2016. Ojobo said that the 13 operators included: Airtel Network Ltd., MTN Nigeria, Globacom Nigeria, Smile Communication, Visafone Communications, ntel, Etisalat, Multi-Links, Starcomms, Danjay Telecoms, Gamjitel Ltd., Megatech Engineering Ltd. and Gicell Wireless. According to him, the service providers have been given another one-week ultimatum, from Monday, November 14,…

Annual inflation in Nigeria accelerated in October to 18.3 per cent, the National Bureau of Statistics said on Monday, its highest in more than 11 years and the ninth straight monthly rise, in another sign of the crisis in Africa’s biggest economy. The rise from 17.9 per cent in September reflected higher prices for electricity, clothing and food, a separate index for which rose to 17.1 per cent from September’s 16.6 per cent, the statistics office said. “During the month, the highest increases were seen in housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels,” the statistics bureau said in a statement.…

Livinus Acholonu Over the last two weeks, I have seen what is undeniably a desperate myth perpetuation of pay-television pricing in the country. The myths have swirled around MultiChoice, rightly or otherwise considered the synonym for pay-television in Nigeria. One of such in circulation has is that Nigerian subscribers to MultiChoice pay-television services are being extorted by the company. Alongside this runs another suggesting that MultiChoice subscribers should be able to pay as they watch. This, I have observed, is sold to the public as “pay-as-you-view” model which, when mentioned, gets people jumping from one to 10 in the conviction…

The leader of the jihadist group Boko Haram has reacted to the election of Donald Trump to the White House with a warning that “the war has just begun” against the West. “Do not be overwhelmed by people like Donald Trump and the global coalition fighting our brethren in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan and everywhere,” Abubakar Shekau said in an audio message posted on YouTube late Sunday. “We remain steadfast on our faith and we will not stop,” he said in the hour-long message. “To us, the war has just begun.” Boko Haram is waging a seven-year-old uprising against the Nigerian…